**2. Materials and methods**

This chapter is mainly based on the information gathered and compiled through desktop review of available scientific publications including journals, proceedings, annual progress reports of various national institutions, technical bulletins, statistical year books, master and doctorate dissertations, project compilation reports, etc. This chapter covers general introduction, materials and methods, population and its distribution of goats, and diversity of goat genetic resources in Nepal. In addition, present review includes breeding management, variation in genetic parameters, and biotechnological approaches for goat development. Authentication of data available from different sources was carefully checked while preparing this chapter. Quantitative information used in this chapter were retrieved from authentic sources including published journals and reports of the Central Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Department of Livestock Services, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, universities, and other government organizations. For the validation of information collected for this chapter, authors also tried to triangulate the data from different sources.

**59**

*Breeds and Breeding System of Indigenous and Crossbred Goats in Nepal*

According to the livestock census 2015/2016, the total goat population in Nepal was 10.98 million [6]. Province-wise goat population and distribution of goats per unit of area in Nepal is presented hereunder (see **Table 1**). Distribution of goat population was highest for Province No. 1 (2.28 millions—20.8%) followed by Province No. 3 (2.11 millions—19.2%) and 5 (1.96 millions—17.8%) with lowest for Province No. 6 (1 million—9.2%). However, the density of goats per unit area was

Similarly, 65,583 Mt of goat meat was produced in 2016 which was about 20.4% of total meat production in the country [6]. The largest amount of goat meat was produced from Province No. 5 followed by Province No. 1 and 3 with 14,595, 12,243, and 10,367 Mt meat productions, respectively. But the percentage contribution to total meat production was observed highest for Province No. 6 (25.9%) followed by

More than 50% (5.74 millions) of the total goat population was distributed in mid-hill regions with 36 (3.98 millions) in Terai and 11.5% (1.26 millions) in high hills and Himalayan regions of Nepal (**Table 2**). However, according to percentage contribution related to meat production, in total goat meat contributes about 20.4%

Province No. 2 (24%) and was found lowest for Province No. 3 (14.3%).

**Density of goats per unit area (no./km2**

**)**

 25,905 2,285,180 88.2 20.8 12,243 62,932 19.5 9661 1,406,039 145.5 12.8 10,012 41,748 24.0 20,300 2,108,581 103.9 19.2 10,367 72,253 14.3 21,504 1,144,030 53.2 10.4 6416 37,422 17.1 22,288 1,958,984 87.9 17.8 14,595 59,083 24.7 27,984 1,005,011 35.9 9.2 5058 19,515 25.9 19,539 1,078,290 55.2 9.8 6893 29,107 23.7 Total 147,181 10,986,114 — 100 65,583 322,059 20.4

*Province-wise distribution of goat population, density of goats per unit area, meat production (Mt), and its* 

Terai 3,983,886 36.3 30,117 145,798 20.7 Midhills 5,736,831 52.2 29,109 153,265 19.0 High hills 1,265,397 11.5 6357 22,996 27.6 Total 10,986,114 100 65,583 322,059 20.4

*Agroecological zone (AEZ)-wise distribution of goat population (number) and goat meat production (Mt) in* 

**Goat meat production (Mt)**

**Percentage distribution** **Percentage of total population**

**Goat meat production (Mt)**

) with lowest density for Province

**Total meat production (Mt)**

**Total meat production (Mt)**

**Percentage contribution**

**Percentage contribution**

**3. Population and its distribution of goats in Nepal**

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82821*

found highest for Province No. 2 (146 goats/km2

standing in second position after Buffalo meat (54%).

**Goat population**

**Goat population**

).

No. 6 (36 goats/km2

**Province No.**

*Source: [6, 7].*

*contribution in Nepal.*

**Agroecological zones**

*Source: [6].*

**Table 2.**

*Nepal.*

**Table 1.**

**Area (km2 )**
